Conventionally, games in a category so called “falling block games” such as Tetris, Columns, and the like are available in the game market.
For example, in Tetris, when one row is fully filled with blocks, it is indicated that blocks to be cleared are settled, and the blocks arranged in one row are then immediately cleared. On the other hand, in Columns, when three or more blocks of the same color run on in the vertical, horizontal, or oblique direction, it is indicated that blocks to be cleared are settled, and the blocks are then immediately cleared.
Also, there has been proposed a game in which the user operates drug capsules of two colors which are falling automatically to fall onto viruses arranged in advance, and when three or more virus and drug capsules with the same color run on vertically or horizontally, it is displayed that blocks to be cleared are settled, and they are cleared immediately (Japanese Patent No. 3019970).
However, the conventional “falling block games” are lacking in thrills, since blocks to be cleared are immediately cleared after it is indicated that they are settled. Especially, since no next block begins to fall until blocks to be cleared are settled and cleared, if blocks line up, the player feels easy, and is deprived of a chance of enjoying further thrills.
Also, a clear condition is simple, i.e., a predetermined number or more of objects which run on vertically, horizontally, or obliquely are merely cleared, and the game player gets tired soon. That is, since the clear condition remains fixed from the beginning to the end of the game, the player is not surprised by the clear condition.